For the small but persistent market for sturdy, truck-based station wagons, International Harvester offered the Travelall, but its story ended in 1975.
International Harvester introduced the Travelall in 1953, decades before the invention of the term SUV. At the time, there was only a niche market for rugged, pickup-based station wagons, one almost too small for the Detroit automakers to notice, and I-H set out to fill it. There were four generations of Travelalls all told, each one based on the pickup truck in production at the time. For the final generation introduced in 1969, the Travelall shared its platform with the I-H Light Line pickups, also known as the D-series.
I-H marketed the Travelall as a “pickup-based station wagon” without shame or reservation. With its manageable 115-inch wheelbase and generous 67-inch track width, the D-series provided a stable, roomy platform for towing and long-distance family travel, its two most obvious applications. I-H proudly advertised a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs, which it said was 3,000 lbs greater than its closest competitor. The two model lines for ’75, 150 and 200, corresponded to their 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton pickup siblings, respectively.
For off-road travel, a selective 4-wheel drive system with 2-speed transfer case and manual locking hubs was available at extra cost. I-H described the straightforward setup using Dana components as “the most practical and economical all-wheel drive system you can buy. You use it only when you need it. Which means less wear and tear on front drive components and gas savings when not in 4-wheel drive.” Very well then.
While the I-H wagon would never be called luxurious, especially compared to a current SUV, the Travelall did offer some amenities, including three available interior combinations (the two extra-cost choices show are above) and optional air conditioning, cruise control, and AM or AM/FM radio. One noteworthy extra-cost option was the Bendix Adaptive Braking System, an early form of electronic ABS (also offered by Chrysler) that I-H described as “anti-skid control.”
The exterior sheet metal was straightforward as well, a plain and tidy box developed by I-H styling director Ted Ornas and crew. For ’75, three engines were offered: the 304, 345, and 392 cubic-inch International Harvester truck V8s known for their durability, hefty construction, and healthy appetite for gasoline. The available three-and-four speed manual gearboxes and a three-speed automatic transmission were supplied by Borg-Warner.
While sales of light trucks began to take off in the ’60s and ’70s, I-H failed to benefit, plodding along at the previous rate and losing market share all the while. When the 1973 OPEC oil embargo and resulting fuel shortage arrived, sales fell dramatically. On May 5, 1975, International Harvester officially announced that the Light Line pickups were discontinued, and the Travelall, too. However, the Jeep-like Scout utility vehicle would remain in production through 1980.
Sure stirs up some ghosts for me, Mac. When I was a kid, ( 60s) my parents had small campers, with a host of vehicles to pull them. Mainly Midwest, but once a year to Florida at Xmas break. As a 10 year old kid, I got a stern education on pulling things, and perhaps laid foundation to a lifetime of trucking. Of memory, a ’63 GMC Suburban, a ’61 Plymouth wagon, a ’61 Mercury wagon( that had some engine work in Chattanooga), a ’65 Dodge Polara wagon( that almost burned to the ground on Monteagle Hill), THEN the IH Travelall, a 1970, I believe. That was without question, the worst experience of them all. I learned several new expletives from the old man, as we all held our breath until it started again at the many gas stops. Aside from the atrocious gas mileage( it always smelled of gas), it took the old mans abuse pretty well. It should be noted, IH began using AMC 401 V8s around the end, as a short supply of 392s. These Travelalls were supposed to be a kick in the gut to compete with the Jeep SJ, Big Bronco, or K5 Blazers, and did a pretty good job, it’s just, the vehicle, still using a straight axle and king pins on 2wd models, needed a complete redo, and IH poured all their eggs into the HD truck line, going great guns at the time. The 9670 cabover was one of IHs most successful trucks. Most trucks I drove in the 80s-90s, were IH( or Ford). So, wha’ happen’t? A certain 5 letter word came on the scene, and virtually decimated IHs class 8 market. Volvo. Only lately has IH began to see a return to the highways, but never like it was.
Thanks for the great story. According to my info, the AMC 401 was discontinued in 1974.
The promotional photo showing the loading of the table into the large cargo area of the Travelall was taken in Franklin, MI. The building in the background was originally a buggy works and still stands but after over a century of many owners and uses, it is now the Franklin Grill. I used that building in October, 1968 as the perfect background for a photo of a friend’s restored 1911 Model T.
Neat info, thanks.